memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第69章

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t　Milliken's　Bend　and　the　mouth　of　the　Yazoo；　but　taking　only　ten　small　regiments；　selected　out　of　Blair's　division；　to　make　a　show　of　force。　　We　afterward　learned　that　General　Pemberton　in　Vicksburg　had　previously　dispatched　a　large　force　to　the　assistance　of　General　Bowers；　at　Grand　Gulf　and　Port　Gibson；　which　force　had　proceeded　as　far　as　Hankinson's　Ferry；　when　he　discovered　our　ostentatious　movement　up　the　Yazoo；　recalled　his　men；　and　sent　them　up　to　Haines's　Bluff　to　meet　us。　　This　detachment　of　rebel　troops　must　have　marched　nearly　sixty　miles　without　rest；　for　afterward；　on　reaching　Vicksburg；　I　heard　that　the　men　were　perfectly　exhausted；　and　lay　along　the　road　in　groups；　completely　fagged　out。　　This　diversion；　made　with　so　much　pomp　and　display；　therefore　completely　fulfilled　its　purpose；　by　leaving　General　Grant　to　contend　with　a　minor　force；　on　landing　at　Bruinsburg；　and　afterward　at　Port　Gibson　and　Grand　Gulf。

In　May　the　waters　of　the　Mississippi　had　so　far　subsided　that　all　our　canals　were　useless；　and　the　roads　had　become　practicable。　After　McPherson's　corps　had　passed　Richmond；　I　took　up　the　route　of　march；　with　Steele's　and　Tuttle's　divisions。　　Blair's　division　remained　at　Milliken's　Bend　to　protect　our　depots　there；　till　relieved　by　troops　from　Memphis；　and　then　he　was　ordered　to　follow　us。　　Our　route　lay　by　Richmond　and　Roundabout　Bayou；　then；　following　Bayou　Vidal　we　struck　the　Mississippi　at　Perkins's　plantation。　　Thence　the　route　followed　Lake　St。　Joseph　to　a　plantation　called　Hard　Times；　about　five　miles　above　Grand　Gulf。　The　road　was　more　or　less　occupied　by　wagons　and　detachments　belonging　to　McPherson's　corps；　still　we　marched　rapidly　and　reached　Hard　Times　on　the　6th　of　May。　　Along　the　Bayou　or　Lake　St。　Joseph　were　many　very　fine　cotton　plantations；　and　I　recall　that　of　a　Mr。　Bowie；　brother…in…law　of　the　Hon。　Reverdy　Johnson；　of　Baltimore。　　The　house　was　very　handsome；　with　a　fine；　extensive　grass…plot　in　front。　　We　entered　the　yard；　and；　leaving　our　horses　with　the　headquarters　escort；　walked　to　the　house。　　On　the　front…porch　I　found　a　magnificent　grand…piano；　with　several　satin…covered　arm…chairs；　in　one　of　which　sat　a　Union　soldier　（one　of　McPherson's　men）；　with　his　feet　on　the　keys　of　the　piano；　and　his　musket　and　knapsack　lying　on　the　porch。　　I　asked　him　what　he　was　doing　there；　and　he　answered　that　he　was　〃taking　a　rest；〃　this　was　manifest　and　I　started　him　in　a　hurry；　to　overtake　his　command。　The　house　was　tenantless；　and　had　been　completely　ransacked；　articles　of　dress　and　books　were　strewed　about；　and　a　handsome　boudoir　with　mirror　front　had　been　cast　down；　striking　a　French　bedstead；　shivering　the　glass。　　The　library　was　extensive；　with　a　fine　collection　of　books；　and　hanging　on　the　wall　were　two　full…length　portraits　of　Reverdy　Johnson　and　his　wife；　one　of　the　most　beautiful　ladies　of　our　country；　with　whom　I　had　been　acquainted　in　Washington　at　the　time　of　General　Taylor's　administration。　　Behind　the　mansion　was　the　usual　double　row　of　cabins　called　the　〃quarters。〃　　There　I　found　an　old　negro　（a　family　servant）　with　several　women；　whom　I　sent　to　the　house　to　put　things　in　order；　telling　the　old　man　that　other　troops　would　follow；　and　he　must　stand　on　the　porch　to　tell　any　officers　who　came　along　that　the　property　belonged　to　Mr。　Bowie；　who　was　the　brother…in…law　of　our　friend　Mr。　Reverdy　Johnson；　of　Baltimore；　asking　them　to　see　that　no　further　harm　was　done。　　Soon　after　we　left　the　house　I　saw　some　negroes　carrying　away　furniture　which　manifestly　belonged　to　the　house；　and　compelled　them　to　carry　it　back；　and　after　reaching　camp　that　night；　at　Hard　Times；　I　sent　a　wagon　back　to　Bowie's　plantation；　to　bring　up　to　Dr。　Hollingsworth's　house　the　two　portraits　for　safe　keeping；　but　before　the　wagon　had　reached　Bowie's　the　house　was　burned；　whether　by　some　of　our　men　or　by　negroes　I　have　never　learned。

At　the　river　there　was　a　good　deal　of　scrambling　to　get　across；　because　the　means　of　ferriage　were　inadequate；　but　by　the　aid　of　the　Forest　Queen　and　several　gunboats　I　got　my　command　across　during　the　7th　of　May；　and　marched　out　to　Hankiuson's　Ferry　（eighteen　miles）；　relieving　General　Crocker's　division　of　McPherson's　corps。　　McClernand's　corps　and　McPherson's　were　still　ahead；　and　had　fought　the　battle　of　Port　Gibson；　on　the　11th。　　I　overtook　General　Grant　in　person　at　Auburn；　and　he　accompanied　my　corps　all　the　way　into　Jackson；　which　we　reached　May　14th。　McClernand's　corps　had　been　left　in　observation　toward　Edwards's　Ferry。　　McPherson　had　fought　at　Raymond；　and　taken　the　left…hand　road　toward　Jackson；　via　Clinton；　while　my　troops　were　ordered　by　General　Grant　in　person　to　take　the　right…hand　road　leading　through　Mississippi　Springs。　　We　reached　Jackson　at　the　same　time；　McPherson　fighting　on　the　Clinton　road；　and　my　troops　fighting　just　outside　the　town；　on　the　Raymond　road；　where　we　captured　three　entire　field…batteries；　and　about　two　hundred　prisoners　of　war。　The　rebels；　under　General　Joe　Johnston；　had　retreated　through　the　town　northward　on　the　Canton　road。　　Generals　Grant；　McPherson；　and　I；　met　in　the　large　hotel　facing　the　State…House；　where　the　former　explained　to　us　that　he　had　intercepted　dispatches　from　Pemberton　to　Johnston；　which　made　it　important　for　us　to　work　smart　to　prevent　a　junction　of　their　respective　forces。　　McPherson　was　ordered　to　march　back　early　the　next　day　on　the　Clinton　road　to　make　junction　with　McClernand；　and　I　was　ordered　to　remain　one　day　to　break　up　railroads；　to　destroy　the　arsenal；　a　foundery；　the　cotton…factory　of　the　Messrs。　　Green；　etc。；　etc。；　and　then　to　follow　McPherson。

McPherson　left　Jackson　early　on　the　15th；　and　General　Grant　during　the　same　day。　　I　kept　my　troops　busy　in　tearing　up　railroad…tracks；　etc。；　but　early　on　the　morning　of　the　16th　received　notice　from　General　Grant　that　a　battle　was　imminent　near　Edwards's　Depot；　that　he　wanted　me　to　dispatch　one　of　my　divisions　immediately；　and　to　follow　with　the　other　as　soon　as　I　had　completed　the　work　of　destruction。　　Steele's　division　started　immediately；　and　later　in　the　day　I　followed　with　the　other　division　（Tuttle's）。　　Just　as　I　was　leaving　Jackson；　a　very　fat　man　came　to　see　me；　to　inquire　if　his　hotel；　a　large；　frame　building　near　the　depot；　were　doomed　to　be　burned。　　I　told　him　we　had　no　intention　to　burn　it；　or　any　other　house；　except　the　machine…shops；　and　such　buildings　as　could　easily　be　converted　to　hostile　uses。　　He　professed　to　be　a　law…abiding　Union　man；　and　I　remember　to　have　said　that　this　fact　was　manifest　from　the　sign　of　his　hotel；　which　was　the　〃Confederate　Hotel；〃　the　sign　〃United　States〃　being　faintly　painted　out；　and　〃Confederate〃　painted　over　it！　I　remembered　that　hotel；　as　it　was　the　supper…station　for　the　New　Orleans　trains　when　I　used　to　travel　the　road　before　the　war。　　I　had　not　the　least　purpose；　however；　of　burning　it；　but；　just　as　we　were　leaving　the　town；　it　burst　out　in　flames　and　was　burned　to　the　ground。　　I　never　found　out　exactly　who　set　it　on　fire；　but　was　told　that　in　one　of　our　batteries　were　some　officers　and　men　who　had　been　made　prisoners　at　Shiloh；　with　Prentiss's　division；　and　had　been　carried　past　Jackson　in　a　railroad…train；　they　had　been　permitted　by　the　guard　to　go　to　this　very　hotel　for　supper；　and　had　nothing　to　pay　but　greenbacks；　which　were　refused；　with　insult；　by　this　same　law…abiding　landlord。　These　men；　it　was　said；　had　quietly　and　stealthily　applied　the　fire　underneath　the　hotel　just　as　we　were　leaving　the　town。

About　dark　we　met　General　Grant's　staff…officer　near　Bolton　Station；　who　turned　us　to　the　right；　with　orders　to　push　on　to　Vicksburg　by　what　was　known　as　the　upper　Jackson　Road；　which　crossed　the　Big　Black　at　Bridgeport。　　During　that　day　（May　16th）　the　battle　of　Champion　Hills　had　been　fought　and　won　by　McClernand's　and　McPherson's　corps；　aided　by　one　division　of　mine　（Blairs）；　under　the　immediate　command　of　General　Grant；　and　McPherson　was　then　following　the　mass　of　　Pemberton's　army；　disordered　and　retreating　toward　Vicksburg　by　the　Edwards's　Ferry　road。　　General　Blair's　division　had　come　up　from　the　rear；　was　temporarily　attached　to　McClernand's　corps；　taking　part　with　it　in　the　battle　of　Champion　Hills；　but　on　the　17th　it　was　ordered　by　General　Grant　across　to　Bridgeport；　to　join　me　there。

Just　beyond　Bolton　there　was　a　small　hewn…log　house；　standing　back　in　a　yard；　in　which　was　a　well；　at　this　some　of　our　soldiers　were　drawing　water。　　I　rode　in　to　get　a　drink；　and；　seeing　a　book　on　the　ground；　asked　some　soldier　to　hand　it　to　me。　　It　was　a　volume　of　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States；　and　on　the　title…page　was　written　the　name　of　Jefferson　Davis。　　On　inquiry　of　a　negro；　I　learned　that　the　place　belonged　to　the　then　President　of　the　Southern　Confederation。　　His　brother　Joe　Davis's　plantation　was　not　far　off；　one　of　my　staff…officers　went　there；　with　a　few　soldiers；　and　took　a　pair　of　carriage…horses；　without　my　knowledge　at　the　time。　　He　found　Joe　Davis　at　home；　an　old　man；　attended　by　a　young　and　affectionate　niece；　but　they　were　overwhelmed　with　grief　to　see　their　country　overran　and　swarming　with　Federal　troops。

We　pushed　on；　and　reached　the　Big　Black　early；　Blair's　troops　having　preceded　us　by　an　hour　or　so。　　I　found　General　Blair　in　person；　and　he　reported　that　there　was　no　bridge　across　the　Big　Black；　that　it　was　swimming…deep；　and　that　there　was　a　rebel　force　on　the　opposite　side；　intrenched。　　He　had　ordered　a　detachment　of　the　Thirteenth　United　States　Regulars；　under　Captain　Charles　Ewing；　to　strip　some　artillery…horses；　mount　the　men；　and　swim　the　river　above　the　ferry；　to　attack　and　drive　away　the　party　on　the　opposite　bank。　　I　did　not　approve　of　this　risky　attempt；　but　crept　down　close　to　the　brink　of　the　river…　bank；　behind　a　corn…crib　belonging　to　a　plantation　house　near　by；　and　saw　the　parapet　on　the　opposite　bank。　　Ordering　a　section　of　guns　to　be　brought　forward　by　hand　behind　this　corn…crib；　a　few　well…directed　shells　brought　out　of　their　holes　the　little　party　that　was　covering　the　crossing；　viz。；　a　lieutenant　and　ten　men；　who　came　down　to　the　river…bank　and　surrendered。　　Blair's　pon…　toon…train　was　brought　up；　consisting　of　India…rubber　boats；　one　of　which　was　inflated；　used　as　a　boat；　and　brought　over　the　prisoners。　　A　pontoon…bridge　was　at　once　begun；　finished　by　night；　and　the　troops　began　the　passage。　　After　dark；　the　whole　scene　was　lit　up　with　fires　of　pitch…pine。　　General　Grant　joined　me　there；　and　we　sat　on　a　log；　looking　at　the　passage　of　the　troops　by　the　light　of　those　fires；　the　bridge　swayed　to　and　fro　under　the　passing　feet；　and　made　a　fine　war…picture。　　At　daybreak　we　moved　on；　ascending　the　ridge；　and　by　10　a。m。　the　head　of　my　column；　long　drawn　out；　reached　the　Benton　road；　and　gave　us　command　of　the　peninsula　between　the　Yazoo　and　Big　Black。　　I　dispatched　Colonel　Swan；　of　the　Fourth　Iowa　Cavalry；　to　Haines's　Bluff；　to　capture　that　battery　from　the　rear；　and　he　afterward　reported　that　he　found　it　abandoned；　its　garrison　having　hastily　retreated　into　Vicksburg；　leaving　their　guns　partially　disabled；　a　magazine　full　of　ammunition；　and　a　hospital　full　of　wounded　and　sick　men。　　Colonel　Swan　saw　one　of　our　gunboats　lying　about　two　miles　below　in　the　Yazoo；　to　which　he　signaled。　　She　steamed　up；　an